Game device



May 8, 1963 G. MALDONADO GAME DEVICE Filed A Day/d 6. Ma/d0fl0 INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,091,460 GAME DEVICE David G. Maldonado, P.0. Box 3372, Lowell, Ariz. Filed Aug. 3, 1960, Ser. No. 47,230 6 Claims. (Cl. 273-95) The present invention generally relates to a game device or amusement device which also facilitates the development of coordination and exercise of the muscles of a person employing the device.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a game device which requires the active participation of the person employing the game device with such participation delevoping coordination of the person and also exercising the muscles of the legs and developing particular agility of the person using the device inasmuch as the game device requires that a flexible bag having very little resilient qualities be kept in the air by alternate engagement by portions of the feet.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a game device of the character described including an attachment for the feet which generally forms oppositely disposed paddles along each side of the foot so that the paddles may be used to engage and loft a flexible balllike member having little or no resilient qualities.

Still another feature of the present invention is to provide a game device which is extremely simple in construction, easy to attach to the feet, highly entertaining and quite inexpensive to manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a group perspective view illustrating the manner in which the game device of the present invention is employed;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the ball-like member forming a part of the present invention with parts broken away illustrating the structure thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the attachment to the feet; and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary perspective View illustrating another manner of the feet being employed for lofting the ball-like device.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral generally designates the ball-like device of the present invention which includes a flexible covering 12 of cloth, canvas, or the like. The bag or receptacle may be approximately three or four inches in diameter and is filled, with a material such as sawdust 14 or the like which will not be shape sustaining but will allow the bag to change in shape depending upon the point of support for the bag.

Attached to each foot 16 of a person 18 employing the game device is a paddle structure generally designated by the numeral 20 and which includes a pair of spaced parallel paddles 22 and 24 having a configuration similar to the silhouette of a persons shoe. The paddles 22 and 24 are of rigid material and the outside surface thereof is provided with a roughening which may be serrations or a coating of resilient material or the like. This will frictionally engage the bag 12 for easier lofting thereof. Interconnecting the paddles 22 and 24 is a pair of resilient straps 26 adjacent the top and bottom edges of the paddles so that the paddles will be held alongside the side edges of the foot with the straps 26 passing over and under the foot respectively.

In playing the game, the bag 12 is held in either hand 28 of the person using the device and it is tossed in the air just high enough to hit it with the opposite sides of the foot or the paddle on the opposite side of the foot as it comes down. The ball-like device 10 is then batted back and forth between the feet, the object being to keep the bag or ba1l-1ike device in the air without it hitting the ground. The person that can keep the ball-like device in the air without hitting the ground for the longest period of time may be considered the winner. The sequence of hitting the ball-like device with the feet is illustrated in FIGURE 1. FIGURE 4 illustrates another manner of hitting the bag with the feet and anycombination of these arrangements may be employed for keeping the ball-like device in the air. In the beginning, it may be desirable to catch the ball-like device each' time it is engaged by the foot. After considerable practice, the ball-like device may be batted back and forth between the feet without touching the device. In order to have adequate time to engage the ball-like device by the alternate feet, it is necessary to give the ball-like device a considerable loft when engaging it thus providing adequate time to put one foot down and raise the other into the desired position. The higher the ball-like device can be lofted, the more time the person has to change his feet around to subsequently engage the ball-like device.

The game device may be employed indoors or outdoors and is primarily adapted for use by children or others quite active. The game device may be employed while listening to music so that a rhythm may be developed along with coordination and exercise.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of they principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A game device comprising a ball-like member including a flexible closure and a filler of granular material thereby forming a ball-like device conformable to the surface which it engages, and an attachment for each foot of a person in the form of paddles to bat the balllike device back and forth between the feet without engagement by the hand thereby developing coordination of the feet and exercising the leg muscles, said attachment for each foot including a pair of rigid paddles disposed in spaced parallel relation and disposed along each side of the foot, resilient straps interconnecting the top and bottom edges of the paddles for extending over and under the foot of the person using the device thereby attaching the paddles to the feet. 4

2. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein each paddle is generally in the shape of a silhouette of a persons shoe and provided with a roughened outer surface for frictional engagement with the ball-like device.

3. The structure as defined in claim 2 wherein said ball-like device is generally spherical in configuration, the cover thereof being of fabric-like material, and the filler being of sawdust or like material loosely received 'and a set of resilient str aps connected to and extending transversely between the paddle-like plates in each .pair for urging the same toward each other and against the sides of the foot, the straps in each set being adapted to receive the foottherebetween. 5 5. The apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said paddle-like plates are provided with roughened outer surfaces for engagement with said ball-like member.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said ball-like member comprises a covering of flexible mate- 10 rial and a filler of granular material'therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Ecoff Apr. 19, 1955 Francis June 4, 1940 Savoy Novv 5, 1940 Wagner et a1 Sept. 23, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS Austria Sept. 11, 1939 Great Britain Aug. 27, 1940 

1. A GAME DEVICE COMPRISING A BALL-LIKE MEMBER INCLUDING A FLEXIBLE CLOSURE AND A FILLER OF GRANULAR MATERIAL THEREBY FORMING A BALL-LIKE DEVICE CONFORMABLE TO THE SURFACE WHICH IR ENGAGES, AND AN ATTACHMENT FOR EACH FOOT OF A PERSON IN THE FORM OF PADDLES TO BAT THE BALLLIKE DEVICE BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE FEET WITHOUT ENGAGEMENT BY THE HAND THEREBY DEVELOPING COORDINATION OF THE FEET AND EXERCISING THE LEG MUSCLES, SAID ATTACHMENT FOR EACH FOOT INCLUDING A PAIR OF RIGID PADDLES DISPOSED IN SPACED PARALLEL RELATION AND DISPOSED ALONG EACH SIDE OF THE FOOT, RESILIENT STRAPS INTERCONNECTING THE TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES OF THE PADDLES FOR EXTENDING OVER AND UNDER THE FOOT OF THE PERSON USING THE DEVICE THEREBY ATTACHING THE PADDLES TO THE FEET. 